Today I pitted the 1992 49ers against the 1992 Chargers. It came right down to the last play of the game .....

Marc Logan started the game off with a bang for the 49ers, returning the opening kickoff 52 yards. This set up a 30 yd FG attempt by Mike Cofer, but he shanked it and the 49ers missed the opportunity to take the early lead. The Chargers would move the ball well on the ensuing drive and score on a 36 yard Carney field goal to keep the momentum. Following a 49er punt, the Chargers would tack on 3 more points as the 1st quarter came to an end.

The two teams traded punts in the 2nd quarter, both defenses bending but not breaking. Steve Young finally got the offense firing though, and drove 50 yards in 5:30 for the first TD of the game. (The Niners would keep the momentum until the final whistle.) The Chargers tried to put some points on the board before halftime, but Humphries was picked off by Roberts at the San Diego 28 yard line. With no time outs and 30 seconds left in the half, the Niners tried one last time to score from the 7 yard line. An incomplete pass would leave them with 15 seconds on the clock to try a FG. Unfortunately for the Niners, Leslie O'Neal sacked Young, and with no way to stop the clock, the 49ers lost their opportunity to score some points. SF 7, SD 6. I really wanted to consider this sack a momentum changer, but it didn't come on third down (per the rules).

The Chargers couldn't get any offense going in the 3rd quarter, and Humphries was intercepted for a second time. Cofer would add a 39 yard FG, and the quarter ended 10-6 in favor of the Niners.

The teams continued trading punts early in the 4th, until Young hit Taylor in the end zone for a 16 yd TD strike. With 5:30 left in the game, it was SF 16, SD 6. Starting from their own 16 yard line, the Chargers put together their most determined drive of the game. Their 84 yards scoring drive took 4 minutes and was capped off by a 3 yard pass from Humphries to Butts. The 2 point conversion was no-good, so the Chargers remained behind by 4, 17-12.

Both teams lined up for the on-sides kick. The first FAC check came up "Possible Fumble on Play". Ok, that could be good! Next FAC turned revealed that the Chargers had recovered!! Oh no, would they fumble it right back......... No! Chargers ball with 0:45 left in the game and all of their time outs remaining!

Starting from the San Francisco 47 yard line, the Chargers could only move the ball to the 34 before they were out of time outs and only 0:30 remained on the clock. In FAF, this is good enough for just one more play, the Hail Mary! Humphries dropped back and avoided the rush..... he took a couple of steps to his right and fired a bullet downfield.... It bounced off a few hands... (you think you know what's coming don't you) ... and is CAUGHT by Derrick Walker.... at the 3 YARD LINE WHERE HE IS TACKLED!!!! He does his best Dyson impression, but he's not going to make it!! GAME OVER!!!

Fun one huh!

That last play was amazing. When I got the successful Hail Mary check, and saw that the Long Gain rating for Walker was x4+11, I thought the Bolts had a great chance to pull it out, but a 5 came up, for a total of 31... just 3 yards short.

In other news, the Chargers turned it over twice on INTs (the difference maker in the game), while the Niners didn't turn it over once. The Niners were penalized 5 times for 38 yards, and the Chargers were flagged 4 times for 30 yards. The Chargers racked up 4 sacks against Young which really helped to keep them in the game.

If you like football games, you should really try this game out....

rickert

Post subject:Posted: Nov 23, 2011 - 02:54 PM

Joined: Apr 19, 2005
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I've not played or purchased the game yet but am getting close. But I have a question. I love the momentum part of the game. But would the 49ers lose momentum on the Chargers TD? I believe you said SF had momentum until the final whistle.

PadresfanMods

Post subject:Posted: Nov 23, 2011 - 04:30 PM

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Nope, the TD would have to had tied the game or given the Chargers the lead...

rickert

Post subject:Posted: Nov 23, 2011 - 04:58 PM

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Posts: 1494
Location: Indiana
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Now I really have to wonder about the application of momentum in this game. In another board, the game's creator advised that perhaps a sack could be viewed as a change of momentum. But surely giving up a TD would be more of a momentum switch than a sack. Does someone always have momentum?

PadresfanMods

Post subject:Posted: Nov 23, 2011 - 05:41 PM

Joined: Jul 21, 2009
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rickert wrote:

Now I really have to wonder about the application of momentum in this game. In another board, the game's creator advised that perhaps a sack could be viewed as a change of momentum. But surely giving up a TD would be more of a momentum switch than a sack. Does someone always have momentum?

Yes, someone always has momentum. The home team has it to start the game. Momentum changes are:

- Score to go ahead or tie
- Lost fumble
- Interception
- Sack on 3rd down
- Safety
- Penalty on third down allowing or preventing a first down
- Failed 4th down conversion
- Blocked kick
- Missed field goal that would have tied the score or given the lead

I believe the sack example you are referring to is from my earlier game report that Phil replied to. The Niners (with the momentum) had the ball on the Chargers 7 yard line with 30 second left in the half - but no time outs. They decided to play the odds and call a pass play and try for the TD rather than take the easy FG. The Chargers got lucky and sacked Young, which is a 30 second play in FAF, and the half expired. Now, it was only second down at the time, so per the rules, no momentum change. But in my minds eye - and Phils - you can image the momentum lift the Chargers would have gotten from that play.

So in a nutshell, the gamer is encouraged to use their judgment in these cases....

wurf

Post subject:Posted: Jun 10, 2012 - 01:00 PM

Joined: Aug 20, 2006
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Is padrafan the same person who does work for SAT and Replay Baseball ?

wurf

PadresfanMods

Post subject:Posted: Jun 11, 2012 - 07:27 PM

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wurf wrote:

Is padrafan the same person who does work for SAT and Replay Baseball ?